1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to unpowered vehicles, and, more particularly the present invention relates to a toy sailplane that will intermittently soar and glide for an extended time period.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Many prior art gliders, particularly toys, simulate commercial aircraft in that they comprise a fuselage, two wings that provide lift and a vertical tail that provides lateral stabilization. An example of one type of toy glider is one in which the wings and fuselage are separate pieces, made of balsa wood or polystyrene foam, which must be assembled accurately so that the resulting glider is aerodynamically balanced. The wings of this type of glider are often knocked out of alignment upon landing and then must be realigned prior to the next flight. Moreover, the flight of this type of glider is characterized by a relatively short flight period wherein the glider flies in a smooth generally linear path without substantial upward soaring.
Another toy glider, disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,195,439, comprises a single wing that has a generally rectangular shape, the wing being weighted at the center of the leading edge. The front area of the wing comprises a convexo-concave portion that is said to impart lift to the wing while the rear area of the wing is a concavo-convex portion that is said to impart drag on the wing. The wing does not include a vertical tail structure or other structure that provides lateral stability. Thus, it is believed that this glider would have little or no directional stability.
Another toy glider, disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,898,763, includes a fuselage portion and a delta shaped wing configuration. The delta wing includes a shallow reflex at its trailing edge to provide drag.
Other toy gliders are disclosed in the following patents: U.S. Pat. No. 3,246,425; U.S. Pat. No. 3,576,086; U.S. Pat. No. 3,898,765; U.S. Pat. No. Des. 53,902; U.S. Pat. No. Des. 170,025; U.S. Pat. No. Des. 198,038; U.S. Pat. No. Des. 232,650; U.S. Pat. No. Des. 240,437; U.S. Pat. No. Des. 240,438; U.S. Pat. No. Des. 240,439; U.S. Pat. No. Des. 240,440; U.S. Pat. No. Des. 240,441.